VOLVO Complaints

COMPONENT & AVAILABILITY: The primary brake booster assembly and vacuum pump failed twice. The vehicle remains fully assembled and grounded at Volvo Cars White Plains, available for immediate inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: Both incidents involved primary braking system failure while traveling downhill. During the second failure on August 4, 2026, the vehicle completely overshot a residential intersection, crossed a perpendicular road, and overran the pavement, coming to a stop at the edge of the opposite traffic lane directly where a sharp hill forms and drops off. DEALER CONFIRMATION: The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by the authorized dealer service center (Volvo Cars White Plains) following flatbed towing on both June 5, 2026, and August 4, 2026. After the second failure, the service supervisor explicitly stated that because the identical system failure recurred, they would need corporate approval for a secondary repair. INSPECTION STATUS: The vehicle components were inspected and diagnosed by the manufacturer-certified dealership network. No independent third-party teardown has been authorized to preserve component evidence. WARNING SYMPTOMS & PRIOR INCIDENTS: The primary failure initially occurred on June 5, 2026, while driving downhill, requiring full-force manual pedal pressure to stop. Following a dealer replacement of both components under a single repair cost, the identical mechanical failure recurred three weeks later on August 4, 2026. Crucially, prior to both the first and second incidents, there were absolutely no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or symptoms of any kind before the component malfunction occurred.

The contact owns a 2008 Volvo S80. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed Central Electronic Module (CEM). The contact was informed that the CEM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

my vehicle has experienced a potentially catastrophic steering failure while driving, Volvo's authorized service attempts have not corrected it, and I no longer consider the vehicle safe.

While driving the car on a state road (45 mph) the car suddenly notified me of an "electrical fault", a light that looks like a turtle came on, and the vehicle lost power and couldn't go any faster than 5 mph. Another vehicle almost rear-ended me around a blind curve because I was moving significantly slower than normal traffic. I pulled into a parking lot, shutdown and restarted the car and everything seemed fine. It happened again a few minutes later so we started to head back home. But the real issue happened a minute or so after the second fault - the fault cleared itself and all of a sudden the vehicle's speed shot up to over 60 mph with very little throttle response or control from me. I slowed the car down using the brakes and continued home. The fault happened again, and cleared itself again in the same manner but this time while I was turning causing me to almost hit a curb while trying to turn. The car is dangerous. These should be taken off the road permanently.

The "Maintenance Mode" required to change the wiper blades malfunctioned, and the wipers- without the rubber blades attached- suddenly smashed onto the windshield, creating a large star crack/shatter, which spread across the entire windshield in two long cracks by the next day. If someone's hand had been in the path of the wipers, it would have been cut or broken by the force/sharp edge. The "Maintenance Mode" should not disengage unless the car is seriously jostled or put into gear (did not occur). This malfunction of the system is a safety concern in itself and has created a secondary safety concern with the severely damaged windshield. A case was opened with Volvo Corporate on XXX (case #XXX). Volvo has NEVER contacted me regarding this. I have called [XXX] and [XXX]) each week to check in and have been told that my case manager is not available, I can not change case managers to someone available or speak to anyone other than the phone operator. I have waited up to 1.5 hours on hold or received an automated return call 2+ hours later, often missing it. I emailed ([XXX]) as recommended by an operator with pictures and video of the incident and damage. I visited our local dealer ([XXX] in [XXX]) and spoke with the service manager. He did not have an open case for our vehicle. He said he would email the local headquarters. When I followed up with him the next week- after he did not respond to my email a week after he supposedly emailed them- he told me there was no local headquarters and that he emailed the same address I had previously. We contacted the dealer where the vehicle was purchased ([XXX]). They looked up our account and said there was no open case connected to our account,/name even though I have a case number I have used in every call to Volvo Corporate, which they have told me was under investigation. They also indicated that they have heard this same experience from other customers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The cooling system cracked, malfunctioned and caused a domino effect of multiple repair issues costing at least $5,200. My car is currently at a Volvo dealer. My Safety: The possibility of the hot engine and hot wires could have resulted in a fire. This problem HAS been reproduced and confirmed by a Volvo dealer. The vehicle overheating was witnessed by the Fire Department and local police.. As far as sufficient Warning Lights or dashboard indications, the ONLY messages I received were 1} About 5 p.m. EST Battery indicator (at which point I pulled over immediately into Batteries Plus who said the battery wasn't fully charged- so they charged it and the light went off and they did not mention or report any other problems; About 9 p.m., 2 blocks from home, the "High Temperature" indicator went "ON" and so I pulled over into my driveway immediately. At 3 a.m. the car security alarm sounded and the hood was smoking at all angles so the Fire Department arrived in 5 minutes and disconnected the battery and stabilized the car within an hour and a half. The car was towed first thing in the morning. I am shocked that a 2020 Volvo would do this to me.

At first I was having issues with stop and start, replaced the battery then was told I wasted coffee in my center Console and it cause electrical issues and was told the repairs would be 3,400 in which collision issuance paid for. After the repairs my driver side seat belt would latch then the passenger side wouldn’t latch either so I currently don’t have working A/C or working seatbelts which is known problem for these vehicles.

235/55R19. Tire blowed up while driving on the interstate highway I-57. Tire pressure was checked at 35 psi before the ride.

the vehicle exhibits a persistent defect in which the doors lock and unlock without driver command. Specific effects I have experienced: The vehicle has locked itself while I was exiting, locking me out with the key in my possession. On multiple occasions this has occurred with my child inside the vehicle, with my dogs inside the vehicle, and with personal belongings inside the vehicle, with no ability to unlock it. These incidents have occurred in extreme heat conditions, where the interior of a closed vehicle can reach lethal temperatures within minutes. Volvo telephone support instructed me to call a locksmith. In the referenced conditions this response is not a remedy. It is an unacceptable exposure of a child and animals to serious injury or death. The vehicle has also unlocked itself spontaneously while I was nowhere near it, leaving it and its contents unsecured. Repair history: The vehicle has been presented to an authorized Volvo dealership on 3 occasions for this concern. The dealership's lead engineer performed multiple system resets, none of which resolved the condition. He advised that the vehicle may need to be "put to sleep," that the condition is likely not repairable, and that seat and seat-belt occupancy sensors are the suspected source of the uncommanded locking and unlocking. He further advised that he would document the file in support of a manufacturer repurchase, and that I should move to the 2026 model year, in which he stated these faults have been addressed.

I discovered an engine coolant leak from a crack near the end of the Plastic Coolant Bypass Pipe (part #31368673/32382362) after noticing coolant puddling on my garage floor. There are numerous comments with pictures on-line about how common this part fails on this model Volvo. What's also interesting is that the "pipe" fails in exactly the same location (on top and near the end). Seems to me if this is a known defect and the part is not performing with reasonable reliability, Volvo should provide an allowance to car owners when the part fails.